Novel tools and techniques to enhance and/or facilitate the collection, tracking, and/or verification of greenhouse gas emissions and/or savings, particularly (but not exclusively) in agricultural applications. Some tools, for example, can assist in the verification of carbon credits that may result from conservation tilling activities. Other embodiments can track greenhouse gas emissions that result from agricultural activities, including without limitation the application of pesticides, fertilizers, and/or other agricultural chemicals.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection. Each claim is shown in both the original legal language and a plain English translation.
1. A system, comprising: a mobile unit, comprising: a position sensing device configured to track a location of a conservation tilling activity; a soil monitoring device configured to monitor one or more soil conditions at the location of the conservation tilling activity; and a first communication system configured to transmit a set of data about the location of the conservation tilling activity and the one or more soil conditions at the location of the conservation tilling activity; and a server computer in communication with the mobile unit, the server computer comprising: a second communication system configured to receive the set of data about the location of the conservation tilling activity and the one or more soil conditions at the location of the conservation tilling activity; a data store for storing the set of data; a processor in communication with the second communication system and the data store; and a computer readable medium having stored thereon a set of instructions executable by the processor to cause the server computer to perform one or more operations, the set of instructions comprising: instructions to store the set of data at the data store; instructions to calculate, based at least in part on the set of data, an amount of atmospheric carbon released by the conservation tilling activity; instructions to verify, based at least in part on the calculated amount of carbon released by the conservation tilling activity, a carbon credit amount attributable to the conservation tilling activity; and instructions to generate output indicating the verified amount of carbon credit attributable to the conservation tilling activity.
A carbon tracking system includes a mobile unit and a server. The mobile unit, which tracks conservation tilling, has a GPS to log location, a soil monitor to record soil conditions, and a transmitter to send the location and soil data. The server receives this data, stores it, and calculates the amount of atmospheric carbon released by the tilling. Based on the calculated carbon release, the system verifies the amount of carbon credit earned and generates a report showing the verified carbon credit.
2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the mobile unit is mounted on an agricultural vehicle.
The carbon tracking system described above includes a mobile unit which is mounted on an agricultural vehicle like a tractor. The mobile unit sends location and soil data to a server. The server calculates carbon released, verifies carbon credit amount, and generates a report showing the carbon credit earned.
3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the location of the conservation tilling activity is a location of an agricultural implement associated with the agricultural vehicle, and wherein the position sensing device is configured to track a location of the agricultural implement.
In the carbon tracking system, the location of the conservation tilling activity is tracked at the agricultural implement such as a plow or seeder attached to the vehicle. The GPS is configured to specifically track the implement's location as it tills. The mobile unit sends location and soil data to a server. The server calculates carbon released, verifies carbon credit amount, and generates a report showing the carbon credit earned.
4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the soil monitoring device is mounted on the implement.
The carbon tracking system that tracks the location of the conservation tilling activity at the agricultural implement also includes a soil monitor mounted directly on the implement itself. This allows for more accurate soil condition monitoring at the exact point of tilling. The mobile unit sends location and soil data to a server. The server calculates carbon released, verifies carbon credit amount, and generates a report showing the carbon credit earned.
5. The system of claim 3 , wherein the mobile unit is configured to identify the implement.
The carbon tracking system that tracks the location of the conservation tilling activity at the agricultural implement also includes the ability for the mobile unit to automatically identify which type of implement is being used, such as a specific type of plow or seeder. The mobile unit sends location and soil data to a server. The server calculates carbon released, verifies carbon credit amount, and generates a report showing the carbon credit earned.
6. The system of claim 5 , wherein the mobile unit further comprises a camera, and wherein identifying the implement comprises identifying the implement based at least in part on visual pattern recognition.
The carbon tracking system with the mobile unit that identifies the implement also includes a camera. The implement identification is done using computer vision techniques, where the camera captures an image of the implement, and the system recognizes it based on its visual characteristics. The mobile unit sends location and soil data to a server. The server calculates carbon released, verifies carbon credit amount, and generates a report showing the carbon credit earned.
7. The system of claim 5 , wherein the mobile unit further comprises a radio frequency identification (“RFID”) receiver, and wherein identifying the implement comprises identifying the implement based at least in part on signals received by the RFID receiver.
The carbon tracking system with the mobile unit that identifies the implement also uses RFID (Radio Frequency Identification). The implement has an RFID tag, and the mobile unit has an RFID receiver. When the receiver detects the tag, it identifies the implement. The mobile unit sends location and soil data to a server. The server calculates carbon released, verifies carbon credit amount, and generates a report showing the carbon credit earned.
8. The system of claim 5 , wherein identifying the implement comprises identifying the implement based at least in part on user input.
The carbon tracking system with the mobile unit that identifies the implement also allows a user to manually select the implement type through a user interface, such as a touchscreen or buttons on the mobile unit. The mobile unit sends location and soil data to a server. The server calculates carbon released, verifies carbon credit amount, and generates a report showing the carbon credit earned.
9. The system of claim 5 , wherein tracking a location of a conservation tilling activity comprises determining a position of the implement relative to the position sensing device, based at least in part on identification of the implement.
In the carbon tracking system, identifying the implement allows the system to more accurately determine the implement's precise location relative to the GPS sensor on the vehicle, improving the overall accuracy of the tilling location data. The mobile unit sends location and soil data to a server. The server calculates carbon released, verifies carbon credit amount, and generates a report showing the carbon credit earned.
10. The system of claim 2 , wherein the computer system is remote from the location of the conservation tilling activity, the system further comprising a base station proximate to the location of the conservation tilling activity, the base station being configured to provide communication between the mobile unit and the computer system.
The carbon tracking system where the mobile unit is on an agricultural vehicle includes a server that is located remotely. A local base station is added near the field to facilitate communication between the mobile unit on the vehicle and the remote server, especially in areas with poor cellular connectivity. The server calculates carbon released, verifies carbon credit amount, and generates a report showing the carbon credit earned.
11. The system of claim 2 , wherein the mobile unit further comprises an emission tracking device configured to track greenhouse gas emissions of the agricultural vehicle.
The carbon tracking system where the mobile unit is on an agricultural vehicle also includes an emission tracking device that monitors the greenhouse gas emissions produced by the agricultural vehicle itself (e.g., the tractor). The mobile unit sends location and soil data to a server. The server calculates carbon released, verifies carbon credit amount, and generates a report showing the carbon credit earned.
12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the instructions to calculate an amount of atmospheric carbon generated by the conservation tilling activity comprise instructions to calculate a carbon-equivalent amount based on the greenhouse gas emissions of the agricultural vehicle.
In the carbon tracking system with the emission tracking device on the vehicle, the carbon calculation considers both the carbon released by the tilling activity and the carbon-equivalent emissions produced by the agricultural vehicle, providing a more holistic assessment of the carbon footprint. The server calculates carbon released, verifies carbon credit amount, and generates a report showing the carbon credit earned.
13. The system of claim 1 , wherein the position sensing device comprises a global navigation satellite system (“GNSS”) receiver.
In the carbon tracking system, the position sensing device is a GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) receiver, such as a GPS receiver, to determine the location of the conservation tilling activity. The mobile unit sends location and soil data to a server. The server calculates carbon released, verifies carbon credit amount, and generates a report showing the carbon credit earned.
14. The system of claim 1 , wherein the position sensing device comprises a camera, and wherein tracking a location of a conservation tilling activity comprises creating a visual record of the location of the conservation tilling activity.
The carbon tracking system uses a camera as the position sensing device. Instead of GPS, it creates a visual record (e.g., a video or series of images) of the tilling activity's location. The mobile unit sends location and soil data to a server. The server calculates carbon released, verifies carbon credit amount, and generates a report showing the carbon credit earned.
15. The system of claim 14 , wherein tracking a location of a conservation tilling activity further comprises correlating the visual record of the location of the conservation tilling activity with positional data.
The system figures out where conservation tilling happened by matching images of the tilling with location data like GPS coordinates.
16. The system of claim 1 , wherein tracking a location of a conservation tilling activity comprises obtaining a plurality of location fixes throughout a duration of the conservation tilling activity.
The carbon tracking system determines the location of the conservation tilling activity by taking multiple location readings (location fixes) over the duration of the tilling operation. This creates a track of the tilling path. The mobile unit sends location and soil data to a server. The server calculates carbon released, verifies carbon credit amount, and generates a report showing the carbon credit earned.
17. The system of claim 16 , wherein monitoring one or more soil conditions at the location of the conservation tilling activity comprises sampling the one or more soil conditions to produce a plurality of soil condition samples, each of the plurality of soil condition samples corresponding to a different one of the plurality of location fixes.
In the carbon tracking system that takes multiple location readings, soil conditions are sampled multiple times to create a series of soil data points. Each soil sample is associated with a corresponding location fix, providing spatially-resolved soil data. The mobile unit sends location and soil data to a server. The server calculates carbon released, verifies carbon credit amount, and generates a report showing the carbon credit earned.
18. The system of claim 16 , wherein the instructions to calculate an amount of atmospheric carbon released by the conservation tilling activity comprise instructions to calculate an area of land subject to the conservation tilling activity, based at least in part on the plurality of location fixes.
In the carbon tracking system that takes multiple location readings, the series of location fixes is used to calculate the total area of land that was subject to the conservation tilling activity. The mobile unit sends location and soil data to a server. The server calculates carbon released, verifies carbon credit amount, and generates a report showing the carbon credit earned.
19. The system of claim 1 , wherein tracking a location of a conservation tilling activity comprises tracking, within a tilled field, portions actually disturbed by the conservation tilling activity.
The carbon tracking system tracks the exact portions of a tilled field that were actually disturbed by the tilling equipment. This is a more precise approach than simply assuming the entire field was tilled. The mobile unit sends location and soil data to a server. The server calculates carbon released, verifies carbon credit amount, and generates a report showing the carbon credit earned.
20. The system of claim 19 , wherein tracking portions actually disturbed by the conservation tilling activity comprise tracking the portions to within a level of horizontal precision of about fifteen centimeters.
The carbon tracking system tracks the actually disturbed portions of the tilled field with a horizontal precision of approximately 15 centimeters (about 6 inches). The mobile unit sends location and soil data to a server. The server calculates carbon released, verifies carbon credit amount, and generates a report showing the carbon credit earned.
21. The system of claim 19 , wherein tracking portions actually disturbed by the conservation tilling activity comprise tracking the portions to within a level of horizontal precision of about three centimeters.
The carbon tracking system tracks the actually disturbed portions of the tilled field with a high horizontal precision of approximately 3 centimeters (just over an inch). The mobile unit sends location and soil data to a server. The server calculates carbon released, verifies carbon credit amount, and generates a report showing the carbon credit earned.
22. The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more soil conditions comprise one or more soil conditions selected from the group consisting of soil temperature, ambient air temperature, soil moisture content, and ambient air moisture content.
In the carbon tracking system, the soil monitor measures soil conditions that include, but are not limited to, soil temperature, air temperature, soil moisture content, and air moisture content. The mobile unit sends location and soil data to a server. The server calculates carbon released, verifies carbon credit amount, and generates a report showing the carbon credit earned.
23. The system of claim 1 , wherein the mobile unit comprises an agricultural chemical monitor configured to track an amount of an agricultural chemical applied to the location of conservation tilling activity.
The mobile unit in the carbon tracking system also includes a chemical monitor to track the amount of agricultural chemicals (e.g., fertilizers, pesticides) applied to the land during the tilling process. The mobile unit sends location, soil, and chemical data to a server. The server calculates carbon released, verifies carbon credit amount, and generates a report showing the carbon credit earned.
24. The system of claim 23 , wherein the instructions to calculate an amount of atmospheric carbon released by the conservation tilling activity comprise instructions to calculate an amount of nitrogen released by application of the agricultural chemical.
In the carbon tracking system that monitors agricultural chemical application, the carbon calculation includes the amount of nitrogen released into the atmosphere as a result of applying nitrogen-based fertilizers. The mobile unit sends location, soil, and chemical data to a server. The server calculates carbon released, verifies carbon credit amount, and generates a report showing the carbon credit earned.
25. The system of claim 1 , wherein the instructions to generate output comprise instructions to transmit, to a third party, data pertaining to the verified amount of carbon credit attributable to the conservation tilling activity.
The carbon tracking system generates a report that includes instructions to transmit the data about the verified carbon credit amount to a third party, such as a carbon credit marketplace or an auditor. The mobile unit sends location and soil data to a server. The server calculates carbon released, verifies carbon credit amount, and generates a report showing the carbon credit earned.
26. The system of claim 1 , wherein the instructions to generate output comprise instructions to transmit, to a carbon credit aggregator, data pertaining to the verified amount of carbon credit attributable to the conservation tilling activity.
The invention relates to a system for managing and verifying carbon credits generated from conservation tilling activities in agriculture. Conservation tilling reduces soil disturbance, enhancing carbon sequestration and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The system tracks and verifies the carbon credits earned from these practices, ensuring accurate and transparent reporting. The system includes a data processing module that analyzes agricultural data, such as soil carbon measurements and tilling practices, to calculate the carbon credits attributable to conservation tilling. A verification module validates this data against predefined criteria to ensure accuracy and compliance with carbon credit standards. The system then generates output data, which includes transmitting verified carbon credit data to a carbon credit aggregator. This aggregator consolidates and manages the carbon credits, facilitating their sale or trade in carbon markets. The system improves transparency and reliability in carbon credit verification, supporting sustainable agricultural practices and climate change mitigation efforts. By automating data collection and verification, the system reduces manual effort and minimizes errors, making it easier for farmers to participate in carbon credit programs. The invention addresses the need for accurate, verifiable carbon credit tracking in agriculture, promoting environmental sustainability and economic incentives for sustainable farming.
27. The system of claim 1 , wherein the instructions to generate output comprise instructions to transmit, to a regulatory body, data pertaining to the verified amount of carbon credit attributable to the conservation tilling activity.
The carbon tracking system generates a report that includes instructions to transmit the verified carbon credit data to a regulatory body or government agency that oversees carbon credit programs. The mobile unit sends location and soil data to a server. The server calculates carbon released, verifies carbon credit amount, and generates a report showing the carbon credit earned.
28. The system of claim 1 , wherein the instructions to generate output comprise instructions to provide for the display, for a user, of data pertaining to the verified amount of carbon credit attributable to the conservation tilling activity.
The carbon tracking system displays the verified carbon credit amount to a user, such as the farmer or an agricultural consultant, via a user interface. The mobile unit sends location and soil data to a server. The server calculates carbon released, verifies carbon credit amount, and generates a report showing the carbon credit earned.
29. The system of claim 28 , wherein the instructions to provide for the display of data pertaining to the verified amount of carbon credit attributable to the conservation tilling activity comprise instructions to display data pertaining to a carbon sequestration rate of the conservation tilling activity.
The display of the verified carbon credit data includes the carbon sequestration rate of the tilling activity, indicating how much carbon is being captured and stored in the soil over time. The mobile unit sends location and soil data to a server. The server calculates carbon released, verifies carbon credit amount, and generates a report showing the carbon credit earned.
30. The system of claim 28 , wherein the instructions to provide for the display of data pertaining to the verified amount of carbon credit attributable to the conservation tilling activity comprise instructions to display data pertaining to a fuel usage rate of an agricultural vehicle associated with the conservation tilling activity.
The display of the verified carbon credit data includes the fuel usage rate of the agricultural vehicle (e.g., gallons per acre), providing insight into the energy efficiency of the tilling operation. The mobile unit sends location and soil data to a server. The server calculates carbon released, verifies carbon credit amount, and generates a report showing the carbon credit earned.
31. The system of claim 28 , further comprising a web server, wherein the instructions to provide for the display of data pertaining to the verified amount of carbon credit attributable to the conservation tilling activity comprise instructions to cause the web server to generate a web page comprising the data pertaining to the verified amount of carbon credit attributable to the conservation tilling activity.
The carbon tracking system includes a web server. The display of the carbon credit data is implemented by generating a web page that shows the verified carbon credit information to the user via a web browser. The mobile unit sends location and soil data to a server. The server calculates carbon released, verifies carbon credit amount, and generates a report showing the carbon credit earned.
32. A method, comprising: tracking, with a position sensing device, a location of a conservation tilling activity; monitoring, with a monitoring device, one or more soil conditions at the location of the conservation tilling activity; calculating, with a computer system, an amount of atmospheric carbon released by the conservation tilling activity, based at least in part on data about the location of the conservation tilling activity and the one or more soil conditions at the location of the conservation tilling activity; verifying, based at least in part on the calculated amount of carbon released by the conservation tilling activity, a carbon credit amount attributable to the conservation tilling activity; and generating output indicating the verified amount of carbon credit attributable to the conservation tilling activity.
A method for tracking carbon output from conservation tilling involves using a GPS to track the location of the tilling, using a sensor to monitor soil conditions at that location, and then using a computer to calculate the amount of carbon released. The calculation uses both location and soil data. Based on the calculated carbon release, the system verifies the amount of carbon credit earned and generates a report showing the carbon credit earned.
33. A system, comprising: a mobile unit, comprising: a position sensing device configured to track a location of an agricultural spraying activity; a chemical monitoring device configured to monitor an amount of an agricultural chemical sprayed as part of the agricultural spraying activity; and a first communication system configured to transmit a set of data about the location of agricultural spraying activity and the amount of the agricultural chemical being applied at the location of the agricultural spraying activity; and a server computer in communication with the mobile unit, the server computer comprising: a second communication system configured to receive the set of data about the location of the agricultural spraying activity and the amount of the agricultural chemical being sprayed as part of the agricultural spraying activity; a data store for storing the set of data; a processor in communication with the second communication system and the data store; and a computer readable medium having stored thereon a set of instructions executable by the processor to cause the server computer to perform one or more operations, the set of instructions comprising: instructions to store the set of data at the data store; instructions to calculate, based at least in part on the set of data, an amount of atmospheric carbon equivalent generated by the agricultural spraying activity; instructions to verify, based at least in part on the calculated amount of atmospheric carbon equivalent generated by the agricultural spraying activity; and instructions to generate output indicating the verified amount of carbon credit attributable to the agricultural spraying activity.
A carbon tracking system monitors agricultural spraying by using a mobile unit with a GPS to track the location of spraying and a chemical monitor to measure the amount of chemicals being sprayed. The data is transmitted to a server, which calculates the carbon equivalent generated, verifies the carbon credit, and generates a report indicating the carbon credit amount.
34. The system of claim 33 , wherein: the mobile unit further comprises a sensor to identify a type of the agricultural chemical; and the set of data further comprises information about the type of agricultural chemical.
The carbon tracking system for agricultural spraying also has a sensor to identify the type of chemical being sprayed (herbicide, fertilizer, etc.). This information is included in the data sent to the server for more accurate carbon calculations and credit verification. The server calculates carbon equivalent, verifies carbon credit amount, and generates a report showing the carbon credit earned.
35. The system of claim 33 , wherein the agricultural chemical is selected from the group consisting of a herbicide and a fertilizer.
In the agricultural spraying carbon tracking system, the agricultural chemical being monitored is either a herbicide (weed killer) or a fertilizer (plant nutrient). The mobile unit sends location, chemical amount, and chemical type data to a server. The server calculates carbon equivalent, verifies carbon credit amount, and generates a report showing the carbon credit earned.
36. A system, comprising: a server computer in communication with a mobile unit, the server computer comprising: a communication system configured to receive a set of data about a location of a conservation tilling activity and one or more soil conditions at the location of the conservation tilling activity; a data store for storing the set of data; a processor in communication with the communication system and the data store; and a computer readable medium having stored thereon a set of instructions executable by the processor to cause the server computer to perform one or more operations, the set of instructions comprising: instructions to store the set of data at the data store; instructions to calculate, based at least in part on the set of data, an amount of atmospheric carbon released by the conservation tilling activity; instructions to verify, based at least in part on the calculated amount of carbon released by the conservation tilling activity, a carbon credit amount attributable to the conservation tilling activity; and instructions to generate output indicating the verified amount of carbon credit attributable to the conservation tilling activity.
A carbon tracking system includes a server that receives location and soil data related to conservation tilling activities. The server stores this data, calculates the amount of carbon released, verifies the carbon credit amount, and generates a report indicating the verified carbon credit.
37. A system, comprising: a mobile unit local to an agricultural vehicle, the mobile unit comprising: a position sensing device configured to track a location of a conservation tilling activity; a soil monitoring device configured to monitor one or more soil conditions at the location of the conservation tilling activity; and a first communication system configured to transmit a set of data about the location of the conservation tilling activity and the one or more soil conditions at the location of the conservation tilling activity; and a computer system local to the agricultural vehicle and in communication with the mobile unit, the computer system comprising: a second communication system configured to receive the set of data about the location of the conservation tilling activity and the one or more soil conditions at the location of the conservation tilling activity; a data store for storing the set of data; a processor in communication with the communication system and the data store; and a computer readable medium having stored thereon a set of instructions executable by the processor to cause the server computer to perform one or more operations, the set of instructions comprising: instructions to store the set of data at the data store; instructions to calculate, based at least in part on the set of data, an amount of atmospheric carbon released by the conservation tilling activity; instructions to verify, based at least in part on the calculated amount of carbon released by the conservation tilling activity, a carbon credit amount attributable to the conservation tilling activity; and instructions to generate output indicating the verified amount of carbon credit attributable to the conservation tilling activity.
This carbon tracking system has a mobile unit local to the agricultural vehicle with a GPS to track tilling location and a soil monitor. All components, data storage, and carbon calculation happen on a computer system also local to the vehicle, as opposed to transmitting to a remote server. The system calculates carbon released, verifies carbon credit amount, and generates a report showing the carbon credit earned.
38. The system of claim 37 , wherein the mobile unit and the computer system are integrated in a single device installed on the agricultural vehicle.
The local carbon tracking system for agricultural vehicles is further simplified by integrating the mobile unit (GPS, soil monitor, transmitter) and the computer system (data storage, calculation, reporting) into a single device installed directly on the vehicle. The system calculates carbon released, verifies carbon credit amount, and generates a report showing the carbon credit earned.
Cooperative Patent Classification codes for this invention. Click any code to explore related patents in that topic.
October 11, 2010
August 6, 2013
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